Daily beater - '01 Impreza WRX

[bigsigh]

Pulled the STI badge off the boot and Gave her a wash

 

[Neil_M]

Getting better with every job

 

[bigsigh]

few bits for a service this weekend

 

[Paddy_R]

This cars quickly taking shape. Was looking good when I saw it at the weekend there!

 

[Paul.]

It hasn't taken you long to get that car looking tidy again! If it was me, I wouldn't change the front end - the bug eye and original Impreza are my two favourite generations!

 

[bigsigh]

Cheers @Paddy_R was good to meet you and @Astroid and see the red WRX in the metal , paint job is outstanding , looking forward to seeing how the door cards come out.

Thanks @Paul. paint work will need a fair bit of attention at some stage but if I can get her respectable looking and a free up a bit of power it will do its job for a few months

 

[Andy044]

Yup still tucked in the shed , not a minute to look near it really , still in two minds about keeping/selling

Keep it, you have come this far, its taking no hurt sitting there until you get round to it again, you just might have to suffer the odd bit of abuse from RMS
about it lol

 

[bigsigh]

Keep it, you have come this far, its taking no hurt sitting there until you get round to it again, you just might have to suffer the odd bit of abuse from RMS
about it lol

Lol the abuse / banter I can take , but I keep looking at the tasty bits I have sitting for it and wanting to poach them for this car.

 

[bigsigh]

so yesterday was the day, was for gettig up early and getting:

Timing belt and all new pulleys
oil filter and oil change
air filter
Powersteering fluid top up
gearbox oil
diff oil
Chav valve removed and replaced with OEM recirc

Started removing bits for access

At this point i jacked up to get the undertray removed, everything had been nicely cleaned and refitted but behind it was hiding oil.. on the outside of the engine, rather than the inside.
I had been pretty throrough when i was loking the car over, the rocker covers are known to degrade with age / heat cycles and i was plesently surprised to find no trace of seeping oil when i was looking round her, sadly it was just well hidden.

Anyway, it is what it is, it needs two rocker cover seals and while it can be done with the engine in situ i will prob pull it out and make the job faster and easier, it also means i can do the timing belt and pulleys on the engine stand which will be far easier too.

not ideal, but at least ill know what i have when its done.

When i that far in i might well pop the heads off and put multi layer steels on for peace of mind, undecided as yet, any opinions appreciated.

 

[bigsigh]

The only upside of the day was i got the VTA dump valve removed and replaced with an OEM recirculating valve which i won on ebay for £5

a bit fiddly, but not hard, and so quiet when lifting off throttle, car drive much better now too, £5 well spent.

The VTA is on the shelf there if anyone wants a bit of woosh woosh noise, just not my thing

 

[Neil_M]

Loving the updates. Keep it up.

Nice to see it getting the mantenance she deserves.

 

[Andy044]

This is where it begins...... When the engine is out and on the stand with the heads off, you might find yourself in another project rebuild! Big power time lol

 

[bigsigh]

This is where it begins...... When the engine is out and on the stand with the heads off, you might find yourself in another project rebuild! Big power time lol

Already found myself sourcing ACL race bearings and block seal kit ...

 

[brendy]

Already found myself sourcing ACL race bearings and block seal kit ...

Atta boy, treat it like a beater indeed! haha

 

[Paddy_R]

 

[bigsigh]

OpenPort cable arrived yesterday from Tactrix, pulled the ROM off the car and had a poke about, @bludgod has given me a few pointers , so will get to logging asap and see if we cant give the old girl some guts

Also placed another order

 

[bigsigh]

Have had a bit of bother getting parts , there are plenty of people breaking cars but not many willing to ship parts , managed to source this genuine STI uppipe from a breaker in England ,

Decat STI left , WRX catted uppipe right

Looking down the pipe you can see the restriction of the cat

Compared to the STI

Looking forward to getting it fitted

 

[bigsigh]

Made a start on this today , decided to pull the engine as there was a bit of oil around the bellhousing and that generally means rear crank seal so got tore in..

 

[bigsigh]

Got it off the lift an on the stand and got a good look round it ,

Weeping from the dowty seals

weeping from the rocker covers

weeping from behind the flyweel

Bell housing soping with oil

Rear crank seal goosed

 

[bigsigh]

Popped the driver side rocker off

copious amounts of stringy black goo, guessing who ever was here last didnt use the correct sealant, which is why there are so many leaks

Also came across this little delight , again just guessing but looks like the friction plate of a previous clutch may have been installed the wrong way round and started to skim the flywheel bolts lol, bit shocked to see they were reused. Ill get new ones when its going back together

 

[bigsigh]

Made a start to the rocker covers today , this was them at the start.

pulled them off the heads, hit them with GUNK , and then fairy liquid, then carb cleaner and they came up well

Thoroughly cleaned the mating surfaces

 

[bigsigh]

Pulled out the old half moons, some folks say these shouldnt be reused, but i have re used in the past with no issues, so will do again

Gave them a thorough clean too

laid down a sparing bead of Threebond 1215 (Subarus recommended sealer in the FSM)

Fitted some new rocker cover gaskets to the clean rocker covers

New dowty seals on the bolts

and torqued into place

 

[bigsigh]

Cleaned and degreased the oil separator and fitted a new gasket for it too

Then connected the coils back up again and we're done with this side

 

[bigsigh]

While i was in this far i check the plugs , they seem in pretty good condition, i have a full set here but am not going to change them unless i get issues when mapping

Passenger side head was prob the worse of the two

It got the same treatment

Pulled the timing belt covers off to get a look at the belt and pulleys , at a guess i would say it has had a belt at some stage and possible pulleys too, but no recod of it in the service book, so ill do them all as i have them sitting here .

 

[bigsigh]

Also fitted the decat up-pipe but not much to show in the way of photos so you will just have to take my word for it

heading away now for a few days , so will get back at it next weekend and hopfully get belt and pulleys done , new injectors in and get it dropped in and running again.